One of those late spring Southern nights, real heat of day giving way to a balmy, beautiful breeze, and my true love and I have the sunroof open and the windows down as we roll through town to an art benefit entitled Our Lady Nippon. The natural disaster in Japan well chronicled, painter Ashley Norfleet and Art League Atlanta organized a benefit group show at dooGallery to fundraise locally, under the larger umbrella charitable org Give2Asia Artists Help Japan. All proceeds from the event going to the cause.
A $10 entry donation netted us free drinks poured by the affable Doog Becker, one of the bartenders for the event and gallery owner-in-residence. His small, clean space on Holtzclaw Street off Memorial Drive was packed with energy and walls of art, some for sale outright, most included in a silent auction. I was first struck by “pensive” – a mixed-media piece by photographer Linda Costa featuring an old acquaintance of mine, comic book artist David Mack of “Daredevil” and “Kabuki” fame. Mack is photographed enraptured in his work, while actual “Daredevil” panels are layered atop him. I literally jumped at the chance to bid. My wife, Jami Buck-Vance, was at a nearby table purchasing a cleavage-accenting steel necklace with hematite beads from artist Damon Mace of Aries. They specialize in chain mail weave of titanium and stainless. Stunning Stephanie Anderson of Neon Armor and another associate were in the opposite corner of the space, body-painting Japan mountain scenes on radiant beauties. 
DJ Minkey Boodle was spinning a tight groove just off-center of it all. I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a piece and liked the way I looked in my new fedora. I knew the vodka and powdered lemonade was working. Why go to bars and nightclubs when there are art events? The booze flows more freely, the people finer, the evening more cultural. “Rising” by Jean Baugnon of New Orleans origins, showed a rising sun inside a green-eyed Japanese face. A much larger mixed-media panel he created, “News” displayed an intoxicatingly captivating Japanese face overlaid atop newspaper clippings from the day of the catastrophe. He told Jami that the earthquake reminded him of the horrors of Hurricane Katrina hitting his hometown. David Ramirez’s “Rising Sun” doubled as show flyer. While Ashley Norfleet’s “Our Lady Nippon” title piece was like an Asian version of Mexico’s revered “Our Lady of Guadalupe,” haloed and shrouded in bright light, tranquil and mercifully loving amidst a swirling chaotic base and the trees of Japan. Ashley’s feather hair extensions suit her, as she efforts to grow into the role of Ladybird of the Atlanta art scene. She paints of birds more than occasionally and encouraged Jenny Birdsong to donate a painting, a floral arrangement and origami cranes in a myriad of colors and patterns. One woman wearing hounds-tooth checked pants purchased a hounds-toothed crane, and I exclaimed, “Your pants!” 
Of Birdsong, Ashley said, “One of the most respected and illustrative Atlanta female artists.” Of Craig Henderson and his donated “Gentleman Godzilla” in a tuxedo piece Ashley proclaimed, “My favorite Atlanta-area artist.” Asian-themed oceanic creature pieces were most prevalent, with Brent Mellecker 3-ding “Koi” taking the prize in our eyes. A former Japan resident, my wife placed a bid on his piece, only to be edged out in the silent auction by gallery owner Doog. I was luckier and won my Linda Costa piece. Departing with a happy gleam, I caught up with Masa Watanabe of Asahi, who donated the beer for the event. He summed it up simply without the help of his translator, “This is a great show.” To donate visit: http://give2asia.org/artistshelp
